‘Jesus Christ Superstar' and more Seattle theater to see in May, June
Staff Picks
This month in Seattle theater, midcentury classics balance out a raft of brand-new works, all of which are worth going inside for, even though sunsets are now after 8 p.m.
'Jesus Christ Superstar'
Hearing rock music sung by musical theater actors can be a gamble, so imagine my excitement when The 5th Avenue Theatre announced it was casting Seattle rockers Cameron Lavi-Jones (King Youngblood) as Judas and Molly Sides (Thunderpussy) as Mary Magdalene, alongside top-flight local actor Alexander Kilian, in its revival of "Jesus Christ Superstar." Don't miss the cast's performances in this Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical about the last week in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
Through May 17. The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle; tickets start at $50; 206-625-1900; 5thavenue.org
Alex Edelman: What Are You Going To Do
Comedian Alex Edelman is working in the Mike Birbiglia-mode of comedy performances that make you ask: "Is this stand-up comedy or is it a very, very funny one-man show? And what's the difference?" Really, who cares - his work is thoughtful and hilarious and narratively cohesive, so see for yourself and decide. If you haven't watched Edelman's HBO special "Just For Us," recorded live on Broadway in 2024 (the show won a special Tony Award that year), I highly recommend you check it out, then see his new work at Seattle Rep.
May 8-10. Seattle Rep, 155 Mercer St., Seattle; $72-$87; 206-443-2222; seattlerep.org
'Barefoot in the Park'
This 1963 Neil Simon play is a bonbon of a rom-com about two newlyweds, an uptight lawyer husband and a free-spirited wife, figuring out married life in a run-down Manhattan apartment. This Taproot Theatre production stars Arjun Pande (who was wonderful in the recent, not-quite-wonderful "Shrew" at Union Arts Center) and Ays Garcia as Paul and Corie Bratter, respectively, with the always-excellent Alex Tavares as Corie's mother, Ethel, and Mike Wu as their upstairs neighbor, Mr. Velasco. Even before it became a 1967 feature film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, "Barefoot" became one of the longest-running nonmusical plays in Broadway history - and it's a perennial delight.
May 13-June 20 ; Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., Seattle; tickets start at $28; 206-781-9707; taproottheatre.org
'Aviatrix'
Don't miss the chance to get in on the ground floor of this world premiere, original musical at Seattle Public Theater, which is getting a full production after being part of SPT's Distillery New Works Series last year. (The 2026 series is coming up June 11-14 - mark your calendars.) "Aviatrix" tells the story of Bessie Coleman, who, in 1917, fought her way into flight school, which was totally unheard of for a Black and Native woman from rural Texas. This should be a fun one, with a book and lyrics by playwright/journalist Angela Poe Russell and music and lyrics by Dionne McClain-Freeney.
May 15-June 7. Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W. Green Lake Drive N., Seattle; $10-$100; 206-524-1300; seattlepublictheater.org
NW New Works 2026
NW New Works is back! This annual celebration of innovative, adventurous and perhaps confounding performance work will feature seven new pieces by a host of fabulous Seattle artists - Meysha Harville & Mare Hirsch, Naomi Deckard, Nia-Amina Minor, Swim Pony, Tariq Mitri and Undercurrent - along with Joanne Park & Ripcode (aka Ghost Rexx) from Vancouver, B.C. Local art makers Rana San, ILVS STRAUSS and Parmida Ziaei curated the lineup, and though I've put a personal ban on the hackneyed word "bold" when it comes to arts, if I were going to use it again somewhere, this would be the place.
June 4-6; On the Boards, 100 W. Roy St., Seattle; $1-$537.50; 206-217-9886; ontheboards.org
'Dream, Carl, Dream!'
This world premiere show by Nathan Whitehouse and presented by Dacha Theatre is, according to press notes, an "interactive show built in the theater of the mind," and while I don't really know what that means, I'm looking forward to finding out! Here's what I can tell you so far: Someone named Carl is holding it together in their waking life but struggling in their subconscious. "In this immersive, interactive piece, you will assist the beleaguered neurons of the Dream Department in programming each night's dreams. Work alongside your mental colleagues during the day, and then sit back, relax, and watch the show once the dreams start to play."
June 4-27. 12th Avenue Arts, 1620 12th Ave., Seattle; full price tickets are $45, all shows have pay-what-you-can tickets; dachatheatre.com
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